Thursday, October 24, 2013

I was honoured to hear that Dusan and I have been awarded this year's Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. As I am at the Vancouver Writer's Festival (and having a terrific time, by the way--surely this isn't work) I couldn't attend the ceremony on Tuesday but my wife Rebecca graciously stepped in for me. Here follows the words she read for me.****This is an overwhelming honour. And if I was actually standing before you, I’d probably have a hard time getting the words out. Although I’m happy to be at the Vancouver Writers’ Festival, I am very sorry not to be with you in person. Not just because I want to be made a fuss over—although my wife Rebecca well knows how much I enjoy that—but because I feel, with all sincerity, such great pride at being part of this community of people who care so deeply about children’s books. When I started writing “Mr. Zinger’s Hat” I didn’t know that it was going to be a story about stories. In truth, I was as surprised by what came out of that hat as Leo, the boy in the story, is. And when it was done, it just felt to me as if needed the amazing gifts of Dusan Petricic to make it complete. Thank goodness he agreed to make it his story, too. I want to thank everyone at Tundra books. I want especially to thank Katherine Cole who was our editor. I want to express my gratitude to the Baillie family and the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. And finally, to my family. Thank you all so much.